Could there be private meeting with NBA, Trump?
As we address the state of the NBA, here’s No. 1 on the agenda: a summit conference.
Picture the NBA and President Trump inside an intimate meeting room, somewhere at the president’s convenience. Enough with the cross-country barking. There can be no understanding, even if it means a hopeless standoff, without face-to-face contact.
The players: Trump and some associates of his choosing (wouldn’t want the poor man to feel overwhelmed) in a sit-down with Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Gregg Popovich, Chris Paul, the retired but outspoken Kobe Bryant, and Bill Russell, whose social activism dates back to his playing days and who posted a photo on social media Monday, showing him kneeling while wearing the Presidential Medal of Honor bestowed upon him by President Barack Obama.
Don’t get too caught up in feasibility or the logistics, for it’s a fair bet Trump wouldn’t stand for such a thing. It doesn’t seem to be the way he operates. But the NBA’s exhibi-
tion schedule doesn’t open until this weekend, so it’s a conceivable notion.
I’ll guarantee you the NBA contingent would jump at the chance. Each of those men has expressed strong opposition to Trump’s recent views, and his presidency in general. It’s a group representing the very essence of NBA stardom and its social conscience. There are points to be made, with passion and conviction. Trump certainly would have his response. Can you imagine such a thing?
Remember that, despite Curry’s outrage and Trump’s subsequent withdrawal of his White House invitation, the Warriors’ organization wasn’t necessarily unanimous in rejecting the White House trip. Kerr called it “an actual chance to talk to the president, to go in and say, ‘This is what’s bothering us — what can we do about this?’ ” Primary owner Joe Lacob agreed, telling ESPN, “You don’t get the opportunity to speak to the president and express your opinion very often. It would have been nice to have that discourse.”
So this time, the invitation comes from the NBA. Please, come join us. No television cameras, unless Trump gives the OK. Quite simply, he needs to hear the viewpoint of America’s leading sports figures, and he needs to hear it directly. This columnist is not your leading source for political opinion, nor anything even close, but two points I’d love to see made:
“Mr. President, when athletes lock arms or kneel during the national anthem, it has nothing to do with the flag or the military. It’s a stand against police brutality, racist overtones and — if we can get right to the point — you. Is that understood?”
And: “You’ve got the entire country on edge over the prospect of nuclear war. You seem to have a fascination with it, as if there’s some kind of upside. What are we missing?”
We now return to our regularly scheduled sports programming: In a league consistently at the forefront of inclusion and equality, the highly respected Doris Burke (ESPN) will become the first woman to be assigned a regular rotation of nationally televised games as an analyst.
Enes Kanter, among the players sent to the Knicks in the trade that brought Carmelo Anthony to Oklahoma City, has his own perspective on freedom in America. Kanter took a courageous stance against the ruling party in his native Turkey, leading to the revocation of his passport, his family publicly disowning him, and the threat of arrest upon his return.
In the wake of his embarrassing episodes on social media, the Warriors’ Kevin Durant surely wished the issue would give way to more important matters. He need not worry.
One of the smartest minds in the basketball world, retired sportswriter Lyle Spencer, tweeted this take on the Anthony trade: “Matchups: Westbrook-Curry, George-Durant, Melo-Draymond, Roberson Thompson, Adams-Zaza. Where’s the big Golden State edge besides Klay?” Plenty of room for debate there, with OKC now appearing to pose the Warriors’ most serious threat.
When superstars gather as one, winning an NBA title is all about sacrifice. We’ve seen it in glorious fashion with Curry, Thompson, Green and Andre Iguodala, but such sublime harmony is extremely rare. Quite a challenge for OKC head coach Billy Donovan.
One thing for certain: Donovan couldn’t afford to bench Westbrook during last season’s playoffs, not for more than a minute or two, because the team fell apart without him. That is no longer a problem.
The Houston Rockets were counting on an Anthony trade to land a third superstar along with Paul and James Harden. Their search continues, and one can feel only sympathy for ex-Cal forward Ryan Anderson. He stands as the centerpiece of any deal, with the Rockets intent on unloading his three-year, $60 million contract.
Only weeks ago, Jerry West was a vital part of the Warriors’ decision-making process. Now, he’s with the Clippers, who dramatically restructured their front office, and West has said he’ll be only an observer. Such a waste of invaluable knowledge. On a brighter note, his favorite golf course isn’t far away.